Valve for emptying boilers

ABSTRACT

A valve for emptying boilers has a locking member for the liquid phase and a locking member for the gas phase, the two members being coaxial and being operated by a common actuating device against the action of closing springs. The locking member for the liquid cooperates with a valve seat fixed to the bottom of the boiler. The valve is particularly characterized in that the locking member for the liquid is provided with a central flow passage for the gas phase. A fixed tube joint for gas flow is seal tightly connected to the passage from the boiler interior. A fixed tube joint for gas outflow is also connected from the outside to the passage. The two points permit a relative movement of the locking member for the liquid. The locking member for the gas is located in this passage. The common actuating device engages the locking member for the gas.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Kurt Rudel 948,702 2/1910 Martin 137/630.22 Bremen, Germany 949,869 2/1910 White 137/597 X [211 App]. No.63,731 2,188,391 l/l940 Haynes 137/630.14 [22] F'led 1970 PrimaryExaminer Robert G. N ilson [45] Patented 1972 Attorney-Richards andGeier [73] Assignee Gustav F. Gerdts KG Bremen, Germany Priority 22,1969 ABSTRACT: A valve for emptying boilers has a locking Germany memberfor the liquid phase and a locking member for the gas P 19 53 096-2phase, the two members being coaxial and being operated by a commonactuating device against the action of closing springs. The lockingmember for the liquid cooperates with a valve [54] g BOILERS seat fixedto the bottom of the boiler. The valve is particularly 3 characterizedin that the locking member for the liquid is pro- [52] U.S. Cl..137/630.22, vided with a central flow passage for the gas phase. Afixed 137/588 tube joint for gas flow is seal tightly connected to thepassage [51] Int. Cl F16k l/30 from the boiler interior. A fixed tubejoint for gas outflow is [50] Field of Search 137/ 174, also connectedfrom the outside to the passage. The two 203, 206, 588, 595, 597, 627,630.14, 630.19, points permit a relative movement of the locking memberfor 630.22; 122/381, 388, DIG. 15 the liquid. The locking member for thegas is located in this passage. The common actuating device engages thelocking Referemes Clted member for the gas. UNITED STATES PATENTS159,019 1875 Corey 137/595 11' ls l DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Thisinvention relates to a valve for emptying boilers and refers moreparticularly to a valve of this type having a locking member for theliquid phase and a locking member for the gas phase, the two membersbeing coaxial and being operated by a common actuating device againstthe action of closing springs, the locking member for the liquid phasecooperating with a valve seat fixed to the bottom of the boiler.

An advantage of such a valve consists in that the liquid phase as wellas the gas phase of the boiler contents can be withdrawn through onevalve, instead of using two separate valves.

A valve of this type is known in prior art, but it has a verycomplicated structure and the valve casing consists of a casting whichis difficult to make. The machinery of this valve is difficult andexpensive, since the machining operations must be carried out alongdifferent axes which are shifted and inclined relatively to each other,so that the use of special clamping tools cannot be avoided.

Furthermore, a substantial drawback of the prior art device consists inthat the common valve spindle of the two locking members extends fromthe inflow space of the gas locking member in which there is full'boilerpressure, through a casing wall and into the outflow channel of liquidlocking member which has actually atmospheric pressure when the lockingmembers are closed. It is therefore necessary to seal; at this locationthe full boiler pressure against the atmosphere by means of a movablepacking, since the valve spindle must be movable axially. There is anoperational danger due to this uncertainty of a proper seal.

Finally this valve cannot be worked from the bottom, so that it isnecessary to climb into the boiler for that purpose.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a valve foremptying boilers which will not have the drawbacks of prior art devices,which has a simple construction, a good machinability and availabilityfrom and to the bottom and which will avoid the above-mentioned sealingproblem.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in thecourse of the following specification.

ln the accomplishment of the objectives of the present invention it wasfound desirable to provide the locking member for the liquid with acentral flow passage for the gas phase to which are airtightly connecteda fixed tube joint for gas flow from the boiler side and a fixed tubejoint for gas outflow from the outside, the two joints permitting arelative movement of the locking member for the liquid. The lockingmember for the gas is situated in the passage provided in the lockingmember for the liquid. An actuating device common to both membersengages the locking member for the gas.

Then the sealing of the boiler takes place only through the two lockingmembers. Only the movable seals at the inlet and outlet of the flowpassage have the task of preventing the mixing of the liquid phase withthe gas phase during the emptying of the boiler. They do not participatein the locking of the boiler.

According to a further feature of the present invention the mixing ofthe liquid phase with the gas phase can also be prevented by sealing theinlet and outlet of the flow passage in or by muffs sliding insocketsfor the inflow and outflow ofgas. This also provides a good guide forthe locking member for the liquid.

According to a further feature of the present invention the correctlyadjusted arrangement of the gas inflow socket may be provided by using acage which is firmly connected with the valve, which extends bell-likeover the locking device for the liquid and which serves as a springsupport and for fixing the gas flow socket provided inside the boiler.

A further feature of the present invention consists in that the valveseats with their locking members as well as the cage with the gas inflowsocket constitute a structural unit and are fixed in a downwardlyextending manner to the bottom of the boiler, while the other valve parthaving the outflowpassages as well as the actuating mechanism is screwedwith a ring joint to the flange of the valve seat or is directly screwedto the bottom of the boiler. This makes it possibleto operate the'entirevalve from the bottom and also provides an easy exchange of the valveparts consisting of outflow passages and the actuating mechanism, sothat when an outflow channelis damaged it can be replaced without movingthe locking members into an open position or eventaking. them apart,which would make necessary the emptying of the boiler.

The invention will appear more clearly fromthe following,

detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing the solerFlGURE of whichis a section through a valve constructedin accordance withthe principles of the present invention.

The drawing shows a boiler-bottom 1 carrying anemptying valve providedwith a member 2 for liquid locking and a member 3 for gas locking whichis coaxial to the member 2. The two members are actuated against theaction of closing springs 4, 5 by a suitable common actuating deviceonly the rod 6 of which is shown in the drawing.

The member 2 for the liquid'cooperates with a valveseat 7 fixed to thebottom of the boiler. An outflowpassage 8.extends to the valve seat. Themember 2 is provided centrally with a flow passage 9 for-the gas phase.A gas inflow, joint-10 extends from the interior of the boiler and agasoutflow, joint 11 extends from the outside. The two joints participatein the flow passage and are fixed to the valve. For that purpose theinlet and outlet ends of the passage 9 are provided with muffs l2 and 13which are sealed by O-rings 14 and 15 and :which slide upon the jointsl0 and 11.

The gas withdrawing joint 11 forms a gas outflow passage 16. of thevalve, while the gas inflow joint 10 is connected with a gas supplyingpipe 17 which extends upwardly above the level of the liquid within theboiler. The gas supply joint 10 is fixed to a cage 18 which extendsbell-like over the member 2 for liquid locking. The cage 18 is firmlyconnected with the valve and serves at the same time as a support forthe locking spring 4.

The gas locking member 3 is provided directly at the flow passage 9 ofthe member 2 for liquid locking and is shaped as an axially movablevalve plate which cooperates with the construction 20 of the flowpassage 9 serving as valveseat 19. The flow passage 9 has a spoke cross21 used to limit the stroke of the valve plate 3 and as a support forits closing spring 5. The member 21 is also provided with radial ribs22'used to guide the valve plate which is engaged by the actuating rod6.

The valve seats 7 and 19 with their locking members 2 and 3, as well asthe cage 18 with the gas inflow joint 10 are all combined into a singlestructural unit extending into the interior of the boiler and areconnected by a flange23 with the bottom 1 of the boiler so as to beaccessible frombelow. The remaining valve portion consisting of theoutflow passages 8 and 16 with the outflow joint 11 and the actuatingmechanism with actuating rod 6 are all centered by an annular band 24screwed to the flange 23.

The locking members 2 and 3 are opened and closed one after the other bythe actuating rod 6. First the gas locking member 3 is opened, wherebythe liquid locking member 2 is initially continued to be held in itsclosed position by its spring 4. After the gas locking member 3 hasreachedits maximum stroke position and engages the crossmember 21 in theflow passage 9, the liquid locking member 2 will-be opened duringfurther stroke movement of the actuating rod 6. The closing takes placein reversed sequence. As is known, the earlier.

opening of the gas locking member has the purpose to provide a drop inpressure in the boiler before the emptying or to.provide pressurebalance between the boiler and the container which is to be filled whenthere is a gas pendulum conduit between the gas outflow passage in theemptying valves of the boiler and that container. This simplifies theemptying and the filling procedures.

I claim:

1. A valve for emptying a boiler, comprising a locking member for theliquid phase, said member having means forming acentral flow passage forthe gas phase, a gas supply joint extending from the interior of theboiler and connected to said means, a gas outflow joint extendingoutside the boiler and connected to said member, said member beingmovable relatively to said joints, a locking member for the gas phaselocated within said passage and means actuating both members anconnected to the locking member for the gas phase.

2. A valve in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means comprise amuff located adjacent one end of said passage and slidable relatively tothe first-mentioned joint and another muff located adjacent the otherend of said passage and slidable relatively to the second-mentionedjoint.

3. A valve in accordance with claim 2, wherein the second jointconstituting a single structural unit, said valve further comprising aflange connecting said structural unit to the bottom of the boiler,means having outflow channels and an annular band, and a flangeconnecting said annular band with said cage.

* a: a a: a

1. A valve for emptying a boiler, comprising a locking member for theliquid phase, said member having means forming a central flow passagefor the gas phase, a gas supply joint extending from the interior of theboiler and connected to said means, a gas outflow joint extendingoutside the boiler and connected to said member, said member beingmovable relatively to said joints, a locking member for the gas phaselocated within said passage and means actuating both members anconnected to the locking member for the gas phase.
 2. A valve inaccordance with claim 1, wherein said means comprise a muff locatedadjacent one end of said passage and slidable relatively to thefirst-mentioned joint and another muff located adjacent the other end ofsaid passage and slidable relatively to the second-mentioned joint.
 3. Avalve in accordance with claim 2, wherein the second-mentioned muffcomprises a constriction constituting a valve seat, said locking memberfor the gas phase consisting of a valve plate adapted to engage saidvalve seat.
 4. A valve in accordance with claim 3, comprising a cageextending bell-like over the locking member for the liquid phase andconnected with the gas supply joint.
 5. A valve in accordance with claim4, wherein said two locking members have separate valve seats, said twolocking members with their valve seats, said cage and said gas supplyjoint constituting a single structural unit, said valve furthercomprising a flange connecting said structural unit to the bottom of theboiler, means having outflow channels and an annular band, and a flangeconnecting said annular band with said cage.